Featured Athlete Anthony Anselmo

Our next feature comes from a ten year old residing in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. Anthony Anselmo is participating in the Powerade State Games Disc Golf Tournament to be held at Reynolds Golf Course and Triad Park in 2017. Anthony followed in his father’s footsteps when he took up the sport five years ago. “My dad is the reason I got into disc golf. When he started playing, I wanted to go with him,” he says. That was at the very beginning of a quest that would produce a two time world champion before his eleventh birthday.

One of the unique opportunities offered during an amateur sports festival is that the Powerade State Games Disc Golf Tournament allows Anthony and his father to compete together, in the same competition, side-by-side. Each year, Anthony and his father, Giancarlo, get to participate on different courses in the same event. “I like disc golf because of the variety of courses – it’s not the same thing over and over again,” he says. The Powerade State Games Disc Golf Tournament changes courses every year, and sometimes even builds temporary, one-time courses. “My favorite course is the temporary course that was set up on the American Tobacco Campus for the 2016 Powerade State Games.” Anthony went on to win a gold medal in that event last year in the Boys 10 and under division, while Giancarlo won gold in the Advanced Men division.

Last year was not Anthony’s first medal in the Games, however.“The first time I played in the Powerade State Games, I was six and I won the bronze medal in the Boys 10 and under division.The next year I won the silver medal and the past two years I have

won the gold medal in that same division.”Anthony was obviously a natural, winning a medal against 10 year olds when he was only 6.

Anthony took his love for the sport to a national stage when he had the opportunity to play in the PDGA Amateur and Junior World Championships in Kalamazoo, MI (2015) and Madison, WI (2016). “It was cool getting to see courses from different parts of the country and having so many disc golf

ers together,” he says. Against competition from all over the country, Anthony prevailed both years. “I am lucky enough to say that I am a two-time world champion!”

Anthony is already signed up for the 2017 Powerade State Games and will have his dad by his side as a caddy.They are both excited about another temporary course that will be set up at Reynolds Golf Course at Tanglewood Park.Come out and join them on June 24-25 in Winston-Salem.Saturday’s rounds will be held at Triad Park, with the final round on Sunday at Reynolds Golf Course.